For decades, employees who were subjected to abuse by bosses or managers were regarded as courageous and tough. There was a misguided expectation that suffering under a corporate bully would be rewarded with advancement later in their careers. Things have changed dramatically. In this century, employees, particularly the youngest ones, will no longer tolerate displays of grandeur from their bosses or managers.
Human resources departments would be wise to take note of the realities of ... Read More …

The B.C. government spent more than $350,000 on a social media campaign during the teachers’ strike last year.
The contract was with Kimbo Design, a Vancouver advertising company, and includes $50,000 for promoted tweets, $73,000 for Facebook posts, $6,250 for Google Adwords, $160,000 for digital and display advertising, Freedom of Information documents posted online show. There are also production charges and service fees, for a total of 4352,644.57.
The ads were targeted at teachers and ... Read More …

The recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada about the RCMP’s collective bargaining rights strengthens B.C.’s case against the B.C. Teachers’ Federation, the province says in court documents filed Monday.
The Supreme Court Ruling is relevant to the government’s appeal of Justice Susan Griffin’s decision last year to restore 2002 classroom composition rules, class size rules and specialist teacher ratios to the teachers’ contract, the government argues.
Griffin has twice ruled that government action ... Read More …

Although teachers will be back at school on Monday, the funding challenge for B.C. classrooms continues, a prominent trustee says.
Patti Bacchus, chairwoman of the Vancouver school board, presented her case for more funding to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services on Thursday.
“The very harsh reality of funding challenges is going to be pushed back on the front burner. It’s been pushed to the back by the strike, but it hasn’t ... Read More …

When will students be back in schools?
Schools are set to open Monday for a partial day and Tuesday for a full day. The first week is likely to be a bit chaotic, perhaps even more so than usual given that schools closed abruptly in June. Students probably won’t have their classroom placement or their timetable until the end of next week.
Will the school year be extended?
If teachers vote Yes, most districts are ... Read More …

As teachers and their employer meet with mediator Vince Ready behind closed doors and a cone of silence, it’s likely they’re talking about class size, class composition and specialist teacher ratios.
These issues appear to be the major sticking point in negotiations, with the government and employer saying that class composition is their No. 1 priority and the teachers demanding the employer drop their proposal on the subject because it could nullify a case before ... Read More …

Vancouver’s Hootsuite is hosting its third #HootHire job fair this Wednesday and if past events are any indication, you’d better show up early.
The first HootHire attracted 300 to 400 people. Last year job applicants were lined up around the block with 1,200 people showing up in two hours and 4,000 resumes submitted in 48 hours.
“That turned out to be a big way for us to say we are hiring,” said Ambrosia Humphrey, vice-president ... Read More …

Finance minister Mike de Jong says the government has no plan to impose a settlement to end the B.C. teachers’ strike, even if the dispute drags into September.
De Jong says imposing contracts hasn’t worked in the past — and other public-sector unions have been able to negotiate settlements.
The B.C. Teachers’ Federation started full-scale strike action on June 17.
The BCTF, which represents 41,000 teachers, has been without a contract for more than a ... Read More …

The Vancouver School Board is delayed the start of summer school to July in hopes that will give the teachers’ union and B.C. government more time to work out a deal.
The B.C. Teachers’ Federation, which initiated full-scaled strike action on June 27, has vowed to picket summer schools if a new contract couldn’t be reached with the BC Public School Employers’ Association.
We know how important summer school is for many of our parents ... Read More …

B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Jim Iker says teachers, who launched full-scale strike action on June 17, will picket summer schools if a new contract isn’t reached soon.
#bced teachers will picket summer school sites if a fair deal is not reached by June 30. Jim Iker says mediation can still result in a deal
— BCTF (@bctf) June 25, 2014
The BC Public School Employers’ Association requested Tuesday that the B.C. Labour Relations Board add ... Read More …

The B.C. Teachers’ Federation’s 40,000-plus members picked up the pickets yesterday as the union commenced full-scale strike action after contract talks with the B.C. government collapsed.
University of Victoria professor Kenneth Thornicroft, who expects a new deal to be reached during the summer months, is stumped as to how the two sides managed to reach this point of labour unrest.
“I’m pretty shocked that there isn’t a deal right now. It doesn’t make any ... Read More …

In an effort to kick-start stalled contract talks and avoid a full-scale strike next week, the B.C. Teachers’ Federation has submitted a new contract proposal to the BC Public School Employers’ Association bargaining team.
The package was expected to include a lowered wage demand and other concessions, but no details were made public as both sides push to prevent the provincewide strike.
Teachers, who voted 86 per cent in favor of a full-scale strike, plan ... Read More …

Results on the B.C. Teachers’ Federation’s vote on whether they will escalate their job action to a full-scale strike will be released tonight.
More than 40,000 teachers were eligible to cast their ballot Monday and today. Results are expected after 9 p.m.
Although the BCTF executive strongly urged its members to vote in favour of a full-scale strike, Premier Christy Clark believes a settlement possible.
Full story HERE.... Read More …

In the war for talent, it’s no longer enough for recruiters to be online.
Now they have to be social, as in social networks, where savvy recruiters are scooping potential candidates even when those candidates had no thought of looking for a new job.
Chad MacRae’s Vancouver start-up Recruiting Social is taking a new tack on traditional recruiting. It’s an approach that’s attracting fans, most recently earning MacRae a spot with five other recruiters chosen ... Read More …

Good morning from a soggy downtown Vancouver. Grey clouds are in fact going to clear up, according to The Weather Network, and we’ll have sunshine with a high of 20 degrees this afternoon.
Here are some of the stories our reporters are working on today.
In News,
The BC Teachers Federation are expected to release the results of their strike vote tonight. B.C. teachers began voting Monday on whether to escalate their rotating job ... Read More …

Vancouver Sun education reporter Tracy Sherlock reports that the B.C. Labour Relations Board has ruled that both the government’s lockout of teachers and the 10-per-cent rollback of teachers’ wages are legal.
The B.C. Teachers’ Federation began rotating strikes last week.
The teachers’ employer initiated a partial lockout and a pay cut for teachers who participate in the job action
Contract negotiations between the teachers and B.C. government negotiators have stalled.
The employer is offering a ... Read More …

More than 10,000 B.C. students on a Facebook group have indicated they will take part in a staged walkout Wednesday in response to being “put in the middle of the labour dispute between the BCTF and the Government.”
According to the B.C. Student Walkout For Students page, the students plan to walk out of classes at 9 a.m. and picket outside school all day Wednesday.
“Each side claims to be ‘fighting for the students’ ... Read More …

Good morning from the Vancouver Sun newsroom. Here are some stories our reporters are working on today.
In News,
As the teachers’ contract dispute with the B.C. governments continues to drag on with more rotating walkouts planned this week, there is hope that a deal could be on the horizon. BCTF vice president Glen Hansman told the B.C. PAC on the weekend that the union and government are not that far apart on salary and ... Read More …